Your Name: Elizabeth BraatzChildren: 5-year-old twins and a 2-year-oldWork: Operations manager for GloBall Giving, adjunct communications professor at Concordia University and group fitness instructor at the Y of Metro Milwaukee and Jewish Community Center of MilwaukeeFavorite part of being a mom: Little voices saying "I love you momma!"Least favorite part of being a mom: POTTY TRAININGFamous for: Being a vegetarian who can make a killer tenderloin.Connect with me on Facebook

I always carve out at least one hour per day to work out. I hope to do something seven days a week but I'm lucky if I manage six workouts. I can typically count on the weekdays to get to the gym while the kids are at school or in the daycare gym. I love that time for just me to sweat profusely and just chill out. Recently, I started running in the evenings several days a week with a bunch of girlfriends. This is on top of my morning routine but it's only added a great deal of zen to my life.

Though I was never an evening exerciser, except BC (before children). There was no way that I was getting up super early to work out when I could come home after work and run at my leisure. Now that I have children, I have to maximize the time that I have "away" from them to exercise. These nighttime runs have become part of my routine and part of my "me time." We run great distances but talk and laugh the entire time. Though we aren't running a seven-minute mile all together, we are working up a sweat and are really connecting. We are also allowing each other spend some quality time making ourselves healthier.

I think all women/moms need to find something positive to do with their girlfriends. Whether this is a weekly coffee date without kids, a regular Sunday shopping trip or an evening run, it is something just for you and your friends. If you have not carved out this special time for youserlve, well, do so now! I truly did not realize how important it was until I started doing it. Now, I can't imagine not having this time away for just me, and I don't want to go back. I challenge you to find your evening run time activity today.

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